Bawana Resettlement colony is situated in the North West of Delhi. This colony is one of the 3 new locations chosen by GFA to expand its activities in 2010.

According to the interviews held, more than 60000 people are currently living in the 11 blocks of this colony. Most of the inhabitants were earlier living in the Yamuna Pushta area. Bawana is said to have an overall capacity of 12,000 plots.

1. Occupation and Income

The majority of people living there are daily wage earners. Among the men, some go to Chandi Chowk or to West Delhi to ride rickshaws. Others go to market places such as Azadpur or Keshavpur to sell vegetables. Few also go to commercial areas in Chawri bazaar and Chandni Chowk to load goods. Some of them work as laborers in Bawana, Narela, Khanjawala or nearby villages.

Women and children as well work in nearby factories in low skills types of occupation. According to the interviewees, the pay is extremely low. They get paid Rs 6 for making 1000 boxes in a day or Rs 10 for making 100 beads. The amount collected is far from the minimum wages. Few women also travel to Rohini to work as maid. They leave their house as early as 5 in morning and reach back home at 10pm.

The average household monthly income is between Rs 1500-3000 depending on number of people working in the family.

2. Facilities

(i) Water

Water is provided through tube well boring and is extremely dirty. There have been reports about health problems in the area due to the pollution of water.

(ii)Ration

The ration providing process is not efficient in Bawana. Adequate quantity is an issue, the dealer is said to use incorrect measurement tools. However, people prefer to stay quiet as if they tried to complain they could be refused their ration. In families where only one person works, ration service is a crucial help.

In addition, number of ration cards was burnt during fires, a quite frequent phenomenon in the colony. Obtaining a new card means more than 5-6 visits to the concerned department and consequently a heavy loss of daily wages.

(iii) Health

There is only one government dispensary with an irregular doctor’s attendance providing for the needs of the whole colony. Inhabitants mostly depend on health facilities provided by NGOs.

(iv)Education
There are five primary schools in the colony and one middle school. Children have to go outside the colony for higher schooling. 36 Anganwadi are present but their service is said to be extremely bad.

Many children in the colony do not go to school because they work in nearby factories or have to look after their younger siblings because their parents are working.

There are many organizations in Bawana already working on non-formal education or alternate schooling but education still remains a crucial problem. People complain that girls drop out of school after 8th standard, to continue they would have to travel far outside the colony. There is thus a strong demand that the school within Bawana should provide classes till 12th standard.

In addition, serious cases of ill-treatment by school teacher have happened. A girl died in the colony because of harsh corporal punishment.

(v)Transport

The bus frequency is sufficient but as the colony is located far from main centres traveling time is very long.